Electrical switching apparatus, such as circuit breakers, may include one or more electrical line terminals to which one or more line field electrical wires may be connected. In three-phase circuit breakers, for example, three line terminals may be included. During installation of the line-side terminal connection(s), the one or more field wires may be stripped, inserted into the terminal socket(s), and secured in place with terminal screw(s).
In operation, the circuit breaker ensures current interruption thereby providing protection to the electrical circuit from continuous over current conditions and high current transients due, for example, to electrical short circuits. To prevent electrical shock, sometimes, the line side of such circuit breakers may include a terminal barrier to prevent an installer/user/person from contacting any of the one or more stripped field wires and/or terminal screws.
However, such terminal shields are flawed in some aspects, as will be apparent from the following. Accordingly, there is a need for a terminal barrier that provides suitable terminal protection yet overcomes the problems of the prior art.